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by teicakes



Category: Free!
Genre: Future Fic, M/M, Multi, Separations
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-07
Updated: 2015-03-07
Packaged: 2018-03-16 03:36:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,481
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3472979
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teicakes/pseuds/teicakes
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's been 6 months since Rin's been back to Japan. Part of him can't help but wonder if everything's changed without him.</p>
            </blockquote>





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**Author's Note:**

> Some of you may have seen this before when I was trying to figure out posting to an event and accidentally published it normally >

“How’s the packing coming Rin? Do you have everything? Haru and I have some stuff we can lend you but I don’t know how much you really want to rely on us for everything, not to mention I think you’ll probably want your own toothbrush and pillow.”

“I can’t believe you still have that same stupid pillow.”

Rin rolled his eyes at his laptop screen and faked slamming a pillow into the web

cam’s face. On screen Makoto flinched away, and Haru – ever Haru-like – sat there stone-faced like Rin had done no worse than belch in public.

“SHUT UP!” he growled, but it was a playful growl and Mako and Haru could always tell the difference. “Packing’s going fine… I’m almost there, but no guarantees I’m not stealing your clothes when I get there.”

“Oh!” piped in Makoto, “That reminds me, can you bring back my sleeping shirt? You know, the orange and yellow one? It’s been months since I’ve seen it.”

He pouted. “Awww c’mon Mako, you’ve seen it plenty of times, on me when we Skype. Don’t tell me you miss that shirt more than me.”

The comment did exactly what he wanted it to. Makoto was turning pink, blooming out from the apples of his cheeks and into his ears. Within 15 seconds he had one of his favourite expressions on the gentle giant, and one of his favorites for Haru’s spread across his more stoic fellow’s face. Something about that mix of concern and readiness to pounce that would manage to make it’s way onto Haruka’s face never failed to send little tremors of excitement up his spine. It was probably one of the reasons he loved to gently tease the other two, just enough for Haru’s calm demeanor to recede to a slightly sassier, authoritative one.

“Well, seeing as it’s been all we’ve seen you wearing for three months straight I’m assuming that it doesn’t smell like him anymore,” Haruka said with a coy twinkle in his eyes. “Same with my jacket too.”

Rin swallowed and fiddled with the sky blue hoodie of Haru’s he’d stolen last time they were together. It was true, no matter how careful he was at keeping them clean enough to not need washing, their smells had long since faded.

“You’re going to need a refresh soon. By the way, bring that one black tank of yours Makoto fits. I want to see him in your clothes again.”

Rin bobbed his head, suddenly unable to return the teasing back. It was finally hitting him how long it had been since the three of them were in the same room together. A lump was taking over his throat like a bad round of allergies.

Makoto, bless him, seemed to pick up on the fact Rin wasn’t in the mood to talk about how long they’d been apart. He ducked out of the frame for a second, a slightly confused Haruka breaking his staredown with Rin to watch, only for the brunette to reappear seconds later with a black cat on his arms. He waved her tiny paw at the screen, as if to say hello.

“Rika misses you too Rin, she can’t wait to see you tomorrow! She even keeps mewing for her third daddy.”

“Though it could also just be for more mackerel,” added in Haru unhelpfully.

“Haru!” Mako scolded. “She keeps rolling up in that one shirt of Rin’s we have, how can you say she doesn’t miss him?”

“Well, she doesn’t,” Haru pouted, “not as much as you or me.”

Rin swore Haru was trying to make him cry on purpose. He fought back the urge to cry like he did at that one damn scene in that Big Hero 6 film _that should **totally not be allowed in a goddamn kids film**_. At least Makoto had been bawling with him when they’d watched it together through screenshare.

“Well,” he managed with a brave face, “my flight leaves in a few hours. I should finish packing and get to the airport before I miss my flight to see you two idiots.”

“We’ll be waiting for you at the airport Rin.”

“Don’t forget my stuffed animal,” chimed Haruka.

“We’ll have some meat ready for you.”

“No we’ll have mackerel, he wants mackerel.”

Rin waved at the pair, still chittering away at each other like a married couple as he turned off the chat and sighed.

 _Only 14 more hours to go_.

* * *

The flight was a nightmare. He’d been randomly selected by security and needed to do the whole stupid full body scan, the patdown, the laptop swabs,  _everything_ , that when he finally made it through to the other side there was hardly enough time to rush across the terminal to his gate, only to find the fucking thing had been moved back 16 gates closer to where he’d started. He’d arrived, panicked and out of breath, clutching Haru’s stupid stuffed echidna toy to make it just in time for the “zone 4 and stragglers” boarding, nearly startling an old Australian grandmother as he flung himself at the check in desk asking if he was on time.

At least she hadn’t given his as weird a look as the toddler in the stroller behind her.

Once finally in his seat he could relax a little bit, if only because he knew he’d finally be back in Japan with his friends and family. His video screen wasn’t working – of _fucking course_ it wasn’t – so there was little else he could do for the whole 10 hours than read and sleep and think. And more and more it turned to thinking.

He really couldn’t help thinking about Haru and Mako… Haru and Mako going to classes, Haru and Mako studying together after Haru’s training, Haru and Mako… sleeping together on the same bed… not exactly _sleeping_ but definitely _sleeping together._

He didn’t doubt their loyalty or devotion to him; boyfriend-wise, he’d hit the jackpot, _twice_. Makoto was caring and astute, albeit a bit clumsy, like an eager puppy still growing into his paws, whereas Haru was elegant, sometimes aloof, but always filled with that cute, reserved charm of his that had drawn him all those years back. Either of them would be a catch, but somehow they’d all ended up slowly feeling stronger and stronger about each other until Nagisa had finally locked them in the change room until they’d confessed to one another. It had been a year of honeymoon phase, stolen kisses and sleepless nights at Haru’s until at long last it had to end… Rin left for Australia, and the other two went to Tokyo… together.

They’d all agreed to live apart. If Rin wasn’t living together with them, neither would Haruka or Makoto. But still… they were only one train stop apart… he was a whole continent away, it was all too easy…

Rin smacked his cheeks and looked over at the corny teen movie the lady next to him was watching. He was being stupid. Mako and Haru loved him and no distance was going to change that. He swapped to a quieter playlist and tried to nod off.

* * *

Thankfully customs only took a half hour, and, blissfully accompanied by the fact he didn’t check a bag, he was out on the train platform 43 minutes after landing.

_Just one more hour…_

Makoto was waiting for him when he got off, smile and all, waving and bouncing around like a 5 year old and not the grown man-child that he actually was. He hardly made it ten steps off the train before he was being spun around in a bone-crushing hug.

“Rinnnnn~! You made it! How was the flight, how are you, are you hungry, are you jetlagged, do you have everything, is that for Haru?”

“Woah woah woahhhhhh Mako,” Rin chucked as Makoto let him back onto solid ground. “One thing at a time! And yeah it’s for Haru, help me with my bags, would ya?”

Makoto let out one of those laughs of his that never failed to make Rin’s heartbeat quicken and took his duffle. “Sure thing!” His other hand wound around Rin’s, their fingers tangling together into a warm mesh of skin.

“M-Mako!” Rin looked around, but no one paid them any notice. His cheeks burned scarlet.

“Shhh,” the taller boy gave his hand a quick squeeze, “We missed you, just give me this, okay?”

Rin could only nod, his face hidden behind his bangs as they walked out of the station hand in hand.

They chatted the whole way home, about school, about exams, about Rin’s training and Makoto’s progress on the junior varsity team (Rin’s idea; less intense than varsity athletes like Haru and himself, but still plenty of good training and exercise for those muscles of his), and especially, _especially_ how Rika was doing.

“Haru’s been trying to coax her into the bath more and more these days. She likes watching the bath toys float and she’s happy to lie on your shoulder and get her paws wet, but as soon as he tries to get her in fully she scratches him up and hides behind the fridge. Or well, she’s trying. She’s gotten bigger since you last saw her, her belly doesn’t quite fit like the rest of her.”

Rin put on his mock grumpy face. “And just who’s been sneaking her table scraps then?”

“Ah… maybe me? Haru… wouldn’t…” Makoto’s nervous cheek scratch said otherwise. He was pretty sure if he watched carefully tonight he’d see both them sneaking food to her.

He decided it was probably best to change the subject. He could always grill them on turning their cat into a marshmallow later. “So where are we headed?”

“Haru’s,” Mako smiled wistfully. “He’s been cooking all day – wouldn’t let me stop by since he thought I might spoil it for you. He bought so much me- me…. mirin! Yeah… mirin.”

It was impossible not to snort at how bad Makoto was at keeping the little secrets in life, but he couldn’t fault him for trying. Rin gently teased Makoto as they turned into Haru’s complex.

“So I guess we’re drinking tonight as well as eating? Hopefully he didn’t get shio mirin or else I’ll have my salt intake for a month in one sitting.” They started climbing the stairs, all 5 flights. “Then again, maybe he’s just making some type of broth. You think it’s sukiyaki? Or maybe there was just a really, really good sale on it and we’re just ordering fried chicken in tonight.”

“Rinnnn, that’s enough,” Makoto sighed and started riffling for his key to the apartment.

“Wait.” The redhead stilled Makoto’s arm. He pulled out his own key ring. “Let me?” The brunette’s silent nod was all the permission he needed. Stomach churning, he placed the silver key in the lock, letting out a little sight of relief as it slid in smoothly, no resistance. He paused, thoughts of what was waiting behind that door swirling through his mind, and, eyes fluttering closed, turned the lock.

The first thing that greeted him was the soft fur brushing against his leg. Rika was purring like a vacuum cleaner, which is to say, loud enough that another cat would have fled the room from the sheer noise emitted from the melon sized cat now climbing up his leg. Rin knelt down and pulled her into his arms before her gravity started tugging her sizable bosom back down his leg. She mewed, sniffing the underside of his chin and curling tighter into his arms.

“Hey girl.” Smells from the kitchen were starting to waft over him. For everything Australia had, it had nothing on the smell of home cooked food from his native land. Too often he had simple salads with boiled chicken, protein shakes and quinoa, simply flavoured meals meant for perfect refuels but not taste buds. Haru’s cooking was heaven compared to those. Salt and marinades and spices… and fat… and pickled veggies…

“Rin?”

He could swear his heart stopped as he looked up from Rika and his eyes met Haru’s. He didn’t see that Haru was wearing that sky-blue hoodie vest Rin had gotten him down under, or that he was wearing the apron with the shark, dolphin, and orcas stitched on the front. All he could see was Haru’s face. That barely open mouth of surprise, eyebrows turned up ever so slightly beneath black bangs, those wide blue eyes he hadn’t _truly seen_ in months.

“Haru…” he breathed.

And with that Haru was in his arms, Rika narrowly leaping out in time before the space between them was gone. He’d almost forgotten what it was like when Haru held him close. The way Haru’s chin tucked into the crook of your neck and you could tell he was taking your scent in with every breath, how even though he was shorter he always wrapped his arms over top so that your hands could pull him close by the small of his back. He fought back tears as Haru continued to hug him. Haru smelled like soy and rice and soap and spring water. He was a fraction of a degree warmer than Rin, slowly heating his chest and shoulders as he refused to let go. He didn’t want him to let go.

Something pressed against his back and the smells of fresh bread and oranges and milky coffee joined with Haru’s. Makoto wrapped around his back. He could feel Mako’s warm breath in his hair and the touch of his cheek against Rin’s ear. They stood there, chest to back to chest to chest, none of them daring to move, not even talk in case it broke this moment. He was crying full out now, thick streams of tears coursing down his cheeks. His knees felt weak.

“Rin…” Mako breathed, voice hitching just at the end. The words “what’s wrong” hung on his tongue but before they could leave Haru was shaking his head against Rin’s shoulder to silence him.

“Rin,” Haru said, and the redhead could tell he was on the verge of crying too. “ _Okaeri._ ”

His voice was missing, he was struggling to swallow around the lump in his throat. Makoto began to kneel and Rin went with him, Haru following, until they were a tangled mess of limbs on the floor. Soft and calloused hands rubbed his back and his sides as soft kisses ghosted across his skin. A small paw pressed against his leg and Rika tried to worm her way into their mass. He was just so overcome. It was six months since he’d been here last but somehow in this moment it felt as though he’d never left, that he’d never flown 8000 km away. Their silence hung frozen in time. There was nothing but Mako and Haru and _them._

Finally, he found his voice.

“ _Taidama.”_


End file.
